In my Canadian Patent 915,106, I described a microbial product derived from Achromobacter stenohalis which had antiviral activities with a treatment of Myxovirus such as pup's distemper and was capable of suppressing the growth of tumors. The product was produced by cultivating the bacterium in a saline solution. This product has been used commercially in Japan for many years with great success. With respect to parvoviral enteritis in puppies and panleucopenia in cats, in cure rates in the range of 60-70% were achieved when the microbial product was administered for one week or more.
Some published studies on the use of the microbial product of the Canadian patent can be found in Okuda, Studies on the Treatment of Canine Distemper-Like Disease With Domon, Jui Chikusan Shimpo (Journal of Veterinary Medicine) (Tokyo), No. 482:1217-1219; Id. No. 495:545-550; Shibani et al., Studies on the Treatment of Canine Distemper with Domon-L, Jui Chikusan Shimpo, No. 498:725-729; Samejima et al., Experiment on the Antibody Response of Dogs Injected With Distemper Live Vaccine to Administration With Domon-L; and Kajiyama et al., Studies on the Treatment of Canine Distemper With Domon-L, Jui Chikusan Shimpo, No. 500:8-11. It has been theorized that the product may stimulate the production of a neutralizing antibody or may possess activity as an interferon inducer.
It has now been discovered that a water soluble, ethanol insoluble extract fraction of the microbial product of the Canadian patent exhibits a greater spectrum of activity. For example, cure rates for puppies' parvoviral enteritis and feline panleucopenia of 100% have been obtained with the administration of the new extract for three days or less. It has been found useful in the treatment of human hepatitis.
It is accordingly the object of this invention to provide a new microbial product which is useful for the treatment of viral infections in man and animals. This and other objects of the invention will become apparent to those of ordinary skill in this art from the following detailed description.